AFC Wimbledon 2-3 United: quick report

[Sheffsteel]

Tell my wife this please!

Cheers for the comments. I accept my reports border on negative sometimes but generally it has been negative for quite some time. I might post some old reports from when we were good every now and again for a bit of nostalgia factor!

As for remembering everything I have made and will continue to make quite a few mistakes or forget incidents. Sometimes when I have been away and had several pints it is a struggle!

I appreciate your reports as they are sober and show neglible bias (actually if anything you downplay anything good we do). So it can easily come across as negative but it's very detailed and a great read for anyone who hasn't been to the match.

 

[Sheff de party]

He was peripheral but put the ball in the back of the net from 4 yards out and that is why he got a 6 rather than a 4. I'm amazed that some are prepared to overlook the fact that he's underperforming in his overall game purely because he's managed to score.

I appreciate that some consider my marks for Duffy and Sharp to be harsh but frankly I expected more. Duffy missed two gilt-edged opportunities and faded when the game was there for the taking; as noted above Sharp was anonymous once he'd scored.

I don't disagree that Sharp was anonymous. By the criticism I don't mean you particularly. At half time some guy in the toilets was saying he couldn't believe Sharp gets picked and he wanted him taking off straight away. Whether he contributes much throughout the 90 mins or not, he remains our main goal threat and will get plenty of he has the service, which he barely had on Saturday (though I couldn't see much second half).

I think it's harsh on Duffy. He was great on the ball first half and yes he faded, but like last Sunday I thought he was at the heart of almost everything dangerous we do.

 

[Trigger Blade]

Wasn't there,but watched it back last night...Never a Free Kick for their 2nd...anybody seen it?...Coutts hardly touched him,and he did a good impersonation of being shot.

Sir Keith on RS was very critical of Coutts, saying it was a needless free kick and I'd assumed he'd gone in recklessly. Having seen it now, I agree with you, the ref just bought it and it's difficult to see how we could avoid that kind of free kick.

 

[bartman]

I don't disagree that Sharp was anonymous. By the criticism I don't mean you particularly. At half time some guy in the toilets was saying he couldn't believe Sharp gets picked and he wanted him taking off straight away. Whether he contributes much throughout the 90 mins or not, he remains our main goal threat and will get plenty of he has the service, which he barely had on Saturday (though I couldn't see much second half).
.

People moaned when we didn't have a 20 goal a season striker. We get one and they still moan. Is it because he is a Blade ?

I don't understand this antagonism towards Sharp . Some fans want Clarke in the side instead of Sharp but I think Clarke has been average at best . (he certainly didn't justify pushing for a starting place after his performance on Saturday).I can't see any footballing reasons why, at the moment, Sharp should be dropped.

 

[Bergen Blade]

People moaned when we didn't have a 20 goal a season striker. We get one and they still moan. Is it because he is a Blade ?

I don't understand this antagonism towards Sharp . Some fans want Clarke in the side instead of Sharp but I think Clarke has been average at best . (he certainly didn't justify pushing for a starting place after his performance on Saturday).I can't see any footballing reasons why, at the moment, Sharp should be dropped.

Let's not exaggerate the "antagonism". Following the Gillingham game there were some concerns regarding his form and general play. Only one or two said they wanted another striker selected for the next game, and after his goal at Wimbledon I think most of us are happy to see him continue.

There were some saying his performances didn't matter, because his scoring record was so good. If people are saying that, and assuming that Sharp scores in 40% of our games - while he "walks around the pitch scratching his bollocks for 90 minutes", let's remember that we will then have one player who walks around the pitch scratching his bollocks for 90 minutes while not scoring, for 60% of our games. Promotion won't come easy that way.

I think he's capable of playing better than he has so far, and let's hope he also benefits from the team generally gelling.

 

[Silent Blade]

Let's not exaggerate the "antagonism". Following the Gillingham game there were some concerns regarding his form and general play. Only one or two said they wanted another striker selected for the next game, and after his goal at Wimbledon I think most of us are happy to see him continue.

There were some saying his performances didn't matter, because his scoring record was so good. If people are saying that, and assuming that Sharp scores in 40% of our games - while he "walks around the pitch scratching his bollocks for 90 minutes", let's remember that we will then have one player who walks around the pitch scratching his bollocks for 90 minutes while not scoring, for 60% of our games. Promotion won't come easy that way.

I think he's capable of playing better than he has so far, and let's hope he also benefits from the team generally gelling.

Perfectly said, Bergen

 

[LoughboroBlade]

I think he's capable of playing better than he has so far

I don't think any of Sharp's most ardent fans deny that. Despite not being at his best though, he is continuing to make a very useful contribution – with plenty of room still to improve.

 

[Revolution]

Let's not exaggerate the "antagonism". Following the Gillingham game there were some concerns regarding his form and general play. Only one or two said they wanted another striker selected for the next game, and after his goal at Wimbledon I think most of us are happy to see him continue.

There were some saying his performances didn't matter, because his scoring record was so good. If people are saying that, and assuming that Sharp scores in 40% of our games - while he "walks around the pitch scratching his bollocks for 90 minutes", let's remember that we will then have one player who walks around the pitch scratching his bollocks for 90 minutes while not scoring, for 60% of our games. Promotion won't come easy that way.

I think he's capable of playing better than he has so far, and let's hope he also benefits from the team generally gelling.

That reminds me. I am interested in your views of Leon Clarke's performance at Wimbledon after he came on.

 

[Bergen Blade]

That reminds me. I am interested in your views of Leon Clarke's performance at Wimbledon after he came on.

It was a pretty scrappy match, not a great one to evaluate him in. He got a good grin and handshake from Sharp as he replaced him. At this point Wimbledon started to get higher up the pitch, picking up a few second balls, winning some free kicks and their sub strikers causing some problems. We countered on occasions and Clark had a couple of half chances (maybe not even that). First was blocked, second he ran with it, but couldn't quite get past the last man. Wimbledon then got their second goal.

We then put Scougall on for Done and he helped us close them down better in midfield, leading to them becoming more predictable and ineffective with their long balls. We then were able to control the game a bit better. Clarke did well when he held the ball up and played it through to Scougall, whose first touch wasn't brilliant and the effort was saved.

In between all this his way of dealing with the long balls was to make sure the defender didn't get it either, and the ball bounced over them a couple of times. He looked to be working reasonably hard in closing them down, but overall wasn't too involved and towards the end we became more interested in wasting time than attacking.